Style

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 look practically identical to the Anker SoundCore Life 2 Wireless. They have the same straight-forward design that looks decent for a pair of budget-oriented headphones. The only noticeable difference between these and the older version is that the logo is now printed on the ear cup as opposed to being etched into the plastic. While our unit is all black, they're also available in silver.

Comfort

The comfort of these headphones is good. While their ear cups have slightly less padding than the previous model, it's not noticeable while wearing them, and they feel just as comfortable. They're quite lightweight, and thankfully their headband is a bit smaller, so they'll likely now fit people with smaller heads, unlike the Anker SoundCore Life 2 Wireless.

Controls

The controls of these headphones are decent. The control scheme is the exact same as the previous version, and they give you play/pause, call controls, track skipping, and volume controls. They also still have a dedicated ANC button, as well as the ability to trigger bass boost via the middle button. Overall, the controls are decently easy-to-use, and the physical buttons are clicky and provide good feedback, but unfortunately, there's no way of knowing which bass setting you're on.

Portability

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are basically the same size as the previous version, so they aren't the easiest to carry around. Luckily, their ear cups swivel to lay flat, and they come with a basic carrying pouch.

Case

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 come with a very basic pouch that isn't nearly as good as the hard case that came with the previous version. The pouch has a cinch-tie to close it, and its material should be able to protect the headphones from some slight splashes, though it won't do much to protect them from drops or bumps.

Build Quality

The build quality of these headphones is decent. Like the SoundCore Life 2, they are mainly plastic but are reinforced by a thin metal sheet in the headband. The hinges are likely their weakest point, as they feel hollow and plasticky, but overall the headphones feel dense and solid enough that they should be able to survive a few accidental drops or bumps without sustaining too much damage.

Stability

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are decently stable. Their clamping force is good, so they should likely stay in place during jogs or light runs, unless you have a very small head. Their slightly smaller design over the previous version means that they should feel slightly more stable for most people, though their over-ear design will still likely cause you to sweat more than usual.

Battery

The battery performance of these headphones is very good. While they don't last as long as advertised, they still last slightly longer than the previous model, and charge in less time, which is excellent. Unfortunately, they lack any power-saving features, so their battery will drain if you forget to turn them off.

Bluetooth

The regular PC latency of these headphones is quite high. Luckily, their latency is quite a bit lower on both iOS and Android, so you should be able to watch videos without too much of a noticeable delay, though they still may not be the best for gaming.

Wired

While the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 use Bluetooth for a wireless connection, they can also be connected via a standard 1/8" TRS cable for passive playback, which is great. Unfortunately, the mic can't be used while wired.